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In a sleeve gastrectomy, also known as a
vertical sleeve gastrectomy or gastric sleeve
procedure, the outer margin of the stomach is removed
to restrict food intake, leaving a sleeve of stomach, roughly the
size and shape of a banana, and the pylorus, the muscle that
controls emptying of food from the stomach into the
intestine. A sleeve gastrectomy is a purely restrictive
procedure.

The sleeve gastrectomy, by reducing the size of the
stomach, allows the patient to feel full after
eating less and taking in fewer calories. The surgery
removes that portion of the stomach that produces a hormone that
can makes a patient feel hungry.

Sleeve gastrectomy is a simpler operation than the gastric
bypass procedure because it does not involve rerouting of
or reconnection of the intestines. The sleeve
gastrectomy, unlike the Lap-band, does not require the
use of a banding device to be implanted around a portion of the
stomach.

Advantages

Weight loss generally is generally faster with the sleeve than
with the gastric band.

Less food intolerance than with the gastric band.

No implantable band device

Surgical risk is lower than with gastric
bypass while weight loss is similar.

Disadvantages

Sleeve gastrectomy is relatively new and has
not been evaluated as much gastric banding or
gastric bypass.